When No One Else Cared
by AlexaSinead
Summary: Marley Rose has given up on being innocent. If people are going to talk about her, might as well give them something to really talk about. She feels alone and wants someone to notice her hidden sadness and that's where Jake Puckerman comes in.


**When No one Else Cared**

Marley Rose roamed through the halls of WMHS. No longer the little shy girl she once was she winked and smiled at every cute guy that passed her. Tired of being let down and heartbroken, Marley said goodbye to her innocence and embraced the carefree life that she had now.

But deep down the blue eye girl suffered. She longed for someone who saw under her mask and embraced her in a warm safe embrace but no one seemed to care or notice. They all winked back and smiled while the girl shamelessly whispered behind her back. She made them think she didn't care but she always cared.

It was a normal day for her. She looked through the pool of boys when she spotted him. He stood there in the middle of a sea of people standing out. His dark tan skin went perfectly with his dark gentle eyes. The boy screamed innocence and yet he didn't seem to bother. In fact he looked comfortable in his skin. Suddenly he looked up from the book he was eyeing and for a moment their eyes met.

Something inside of Marley jumped. If she knew better she would have guessed it was heart starting up again but that couldn't be possible. She didn't have heart. She didn't care about gentle innocent eyes. She cared about what was underneath the clothes. At least that's what she tried to tell herself.

They stared at each other for a long time. Her mind screamed at her to move. To make her way towards him and do what she did best but she couldn't. She was frozen in place staring back at him. Then something surprised her. Something he did.

He smiled at her.

Not like the other boys. The other boys smiled at her knowingly. They knew what she did and they wanted a piece of the action but his smile was friendly and inviting. He was different from the others. Marley looked down and shook her head. He was trouble. He was making her feel. She didn't want to feel. In a quick turn she stalked off, trying to shake away the thoughts of the tan innocent boy and his heartwarming smile.

The next time she saw him was that same day. She was sitting alone in Biology alone, like always. Although a lot of guys yearn for her attention, when it was time to be serious they didn't come to her. She told herself she didn't mind. She worked better alone anyways. She had head down, waiting for the class to start when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She lifted her head and her eyes met with his again. "Hi. Someone told me you didn't have a partner. I was wondering if I could offer my services?" he asked with that same gentle welcoming smile. Marley was speechless. The poor new boy didn't know about her. She looked around and notice other empty chairs but for some reason he picked her.

She wanted to shake her head and send him away. She couldn't have him have her feel things but instead she shrugged. "Sure. Whatever" she said crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. This action made him chuckled but didn't stop him. He set down his Biology book on the table and took the seat beside her. Their shoulders touched for a second as he made himself comfortable and Marley could have sworn she felt something.

"My name Jake. Jake Puckerman" he said turning his upper body towards her.

"The new boy. I know" she said eyeing him. "My name is Marley Rose" she said. Half of her expected him to shuffle back. Maybe they had already spoken of her and he only knew of her by name but he only smiled.

"Nice to meet you Marley" he said.

Marley was confuse by his actions. Why wasn't he trying to sleep with her? Why was he being so nice to her? Why didn't he look at her like the other boys? She was confuse. It had never happened to her before.

And then she got scared. What if he was seeing under her mask? What if he could see how broken she was and was taking pity of her? She couldn't have that. She needed to let him know that she was strong. She wasn't that innocent, delicate girl anymore.

Week after week she tried her best lines on him. She would wear revealing clothes, brush her finger on his thigh, bite her lips and bat her eyes but nothing worked. Jake Puckerman never fell for any of her games. Instead he would look at her in the eyes and smile. He would always have something nice to say to her and never treated her differently.

"So, Marley. I was hoping I could maybe ask you out?" he asked one day after the bell rang. They were packing up their things when he popped the question. Marley stared at him confuse. Each day he would manage to surprise her.

"Sure" she said with a shrug, acting as if she didn't care but she did. No one ever took her out on a date.

"Awesome" He grinned. "I'll pick you up tonight at 6" he said and with that he walked out.

The date had been perfectly innocent. He took her to a movie and didn't make a move on her except for taking her hand. Then he took her to his favorite taco joint and they ate. The date was perfectly normal to any other girl but her. She was suspicious.

As they walked to the car, Jake stopped her. Under the moonlight he turned to her and smiled. He lifted his hand and brushed away her bangs before his fingers traced the outline of her jaw.

"You're so beautiful" he whispered and Marley's heart skipped a bit. She wasn't beautiful. She was gorgeous, sexy, hot but never beautiful. Girls like her weren't called beautiful.

"Stop it!" she said slapping his hand away. "What do you think you're doing? Asking me out? Telling I'm beautiful? What is your game?" she asked angrily.

"I don't have any game" he said.

"Every guy has a game. If you want to sleep with me all you have to do is ask. You don't have to lie to me" she said, her body started to tremble. The moment the words came out of her mouth, she realize how scare she was that it was all a fake.

"I'm not playing anything Marley. I like you" he simply said. As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Liar!" she accused.

"I'm not lying. I like you. I care for you" he said and he stepped closer again.

"No! That's a lie. No one cared about me. They only care about my body" she cried. She stepped back, wanting get away from him. Marley Rose never cried. She wasn't supposed to care but Jake wouldn't have it. He kept coming for her and she kept back up until her back was pressed against a car and she no other escape.

"I care for you Marley" he repeated as he got close again. He placed his hand on her cheek and softly caressed her soft skin. "I can see you're sad. I want to change that" he said.

"S-stop" she stuttered but he didn't. Instead he leaned in and capture her lips in a soft gentle kiss. Marley's whole being reacted to him. Jake's kissed were different from the others. Jake Puckerman made her feel alive again.

She let her guard down for the first time in forever. She let her hands slipped up his chest and around his neck and kissed him back.

"I want to make you happy" he whispered against her lips. "I want to be the one who makes you smile"

And he did. After that night Marley Rose was never the same. She didn't care how guys would look at her or the mean whispered behind her back. She had Jake. The boy who cared when no one else did.


End file.
